All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings - The Earth Book, 1645)

The principle of strategy is having one thing, to know ten thousand things.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings - The Earth Book, 1645)

Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings - The Earth Book, 1645)

If you do not look at things on a large scale it will be difficult for you to master strategy.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings, 1645)

You win battles by knowing the enemy's timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.

Miyamoto Musashi

Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.

Miyamoto Musashi

Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

Miyamoto Musashi

It is difficult to realise the true Way just through sword-fencing. Know the smallest things and the biggest things, the shallowest things and the deepest things.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings, 1645)

There is no fast way of wielding the long sword. The long sword should be wielded broadly, and the companion sword closely. This is the first thing to realise.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings, 1645)

These things cannot be explained in detail. From one thing, know ten thousand things. When you attain the Way of strategy there will not be one thing you cannot see. You must study hard.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings, 1645)

There is timing in the whole life of the warrior, in his thriving and declining, in his harmony and discord. Similarly, there is timing in the Way of the merchant, in the rise and fall of capital. All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings - The Earth Book, 1645)

The Way of strategy is the Way of nature. When you appreciate the power of nature, knowing the rhythm of any situation, you will be able to hit the enemy naturally and strike naturally. All this is the Way of the Void. I intend to show how to follow the true Way according to nature in the book of the Void.

Miyamoto Musashi(The Book of Five Rings, 1645)

It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know others. To all Ways there are side-tracks. If you study a Way daily, and your spirit diverges, you may think you are obeying a good way, but objectively it is not the true Way. If you are following the true Way and diverge a little, this will later become a large divergence. You must realise this.